European Charter for Researchers

Introduction

In December 2009, the Scientific Council of IBDPAN adopted the provisions of European Charter for Researchers and a Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. Beside the Code, the Charter is a key element of EU policy which promotes scientific researches as a field of attractive career.
The Charter and the Code will be implemented by Human Resources strategy. One of the elements of the strategy is to analyze to what extent the existing Institute practices are in comparison with the provisions of the Charter and the Code.

Report

In May 2011, Director of the Institute has assigned the Committee to acquaint with the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct. All the principles and requirements arising from the provisions of the Charter and Code were analyzed for their implementation at the Institute. The part of the rules works within Polish law (Labour Code, Act of PAS), part of them derives from Acts of PAS (PAS Ethical Code), some acts within the internal provisions of IBD (resolutions of the scientific council e.g. the resolution regarding procedures of competitions for researchers).
Preliminary study of the implementation Charter and Code’s provisions in IBD has allowed to elaborate a questionnaire by the members of the Commission. Questionnaires were sent to researchers and PhD students.

Questionnaire results

In total 104 scientific researchers were surveyed. 39 questionnaires were received, i.e. 37.5% of all respondents. Among PhD students; from 120 respondents – 42 replied, i.e. 35% of all.

The Committee’s analysis and survey results indicate that the degree of implementation the provisions of the Charter and the Code in IBD is on advanced level. The Institute provides the proper conditions for scientific development.

It is proper to make some improvements concerning IT, e.g. to create a manual which will include procedures for securing and storing data on the work computer.

Part of the questions concerned transfer of information about jobs and trainings offer at the PAS level – as a unit supervising the activities of all the Institutes. Replies of respondents indicated the need for “information center”, both for jobs and trainings offer. This will require contact with the authorities of PAS.

Both PhD students and researchers took note of the lack of the feedback on weaknesses and strengths of the recruitment application. Currently in IBD, there are provisions allowing acquaintance with the results of the recruitment procedure (for academic positions). The provisions only require adopting for PhD students.